Numerous DC converters have been developed for raising or lowering the level of DC voltages for different applications, however, such converters are usually designed to operate upon fixed or at most mildly varying input voltages. Some electrical systems, such as, for example, wind powered generators produce widely fluctuating voltages and conventional converters are not designed to handle the problems arising from substantial variations of input voltage. A system producing voltages varying from 0 V DC to 200 V DC poses numerous problems well beyond the capabilities of conventional converters to produce regulated DC outputs therefrom.
The present invention is particularly directed to the inexpensive production of multi-level regulated DC voltages from DC input voltages that may fluctuate as much as in the foregoing example.